What can I do in case of discrimination?

The anti-discrimination office offers counseling that is free of charge and confidential You can contact us by phone or mail. If you wish to have counseling in our barrier-free office we ask you to contact us in advance.

You can turn to your employee representation or your supervisor if you're being harassed or discriminated against by colleagues. Your supervisor or employer is obliged to intervene and stop the discrimination or harassment. His or her omission to act against discrimination or harassment is considered a form of discrimination and he or she becomes liable.

Take notes of the dates, places and forms of the discrimination or harassment and talk to potential witnesses or observers. If you have been suffering from several incidents it is reasonalbe to keep a journal.

If you are the victim of a discrimination you are entitled to compensation. Claims under the Upper Austrian anti discrimination law can be made to labour courts, district courts (Bezirksgericht) and regional courts (Landesgericht) with respect to the particular deadlines and the litigation risk. In addition to the compensation of your actual damage, you can also claim the damage caused by your humiliation ("immaterial compensation").

As an applicant, an employee or a trainee of the Upper Austrian Provincial Government or a municipality in Upper Austria your claims have to be presented to your employer as well.

Employee representatives such as the ÖGB or the AK or groups that have the agenda to monitor anti-discrimination regulations will support you in enforcing the law at courts.

A discrimination or harassment under the Upper Austrian anti-discrimination law is an administrative offence, as long as it is not punished by court and can be reported to the respective district administrative authority (Magistrat or Bezirkshauptmannschaft).